2023 NFL power rankings, Week 9: Sloppy Chiefs fall out of top spot after ugly loss

The Week 8 schedule featured only two games that saw both teams with winning records. The slate also included three divisional rematches and 10 interconference clashes. The last of those takes place on Monday night when the Raiders take on the first-place Detroit Lions in the Motor City.

There’s a change at No. 1 while a division champion from 2022 is in the midst of a three-game losing streak. It’s interesting to note that all four division leaders in the AFC sport identical 6-2 records. Onward to the latest NFL Power Rankings.

The Cardinals were hoping to end a four-game skid when they hosted the Ravens. Once again, Jonathan Gannon’s team was competitive. Josh Dobbs finished with 208 yards through the air and two scores, but he also threw a pair of interceptions. The Cards trailed 24-7 in the fourth quarter before making things close in the final two minutes.

It appears that quarterback Kyler Murray is close to making his return. He could be the team’s starter next week at Cleveland. Arizona owns the league’s worst record, as well as the NFL’s longest active losing streak at five straight.

It was a contest that featured the top three picks in April’s draft. The focus was on the quarterbacks in Carolina’s Bryce Young and Houston’s C.J. Stroud. The latter has had the better season to date, but on Sunday at Charlotte the former Alabama star and his team had the last laugh as the Panthers won their first game of the season.

Young overcame six sacks and threw for 235 yards and one score. More significantly, he led the team on a 15-play, 86 yard drive in the final 6:17 and Eddy Pineiro kicked his third field goal of the game, a 22-yarder as time expired.

Veteran Tyrod Taylor made a second straight start for Brian Daboll’s club. However, he was knocked out of action (ribs) in the second quarter. Enter rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito. The undrafted free agent finished with minus-1 yard passing, but his six-yard touchdown run in the third quarter helped staked the Giants to a 10-7 lead.

New York was done scoring for the day. Big Blue would fall in overtime. Daboll’s team is now eight games into 2023 and still has not reached the 100-point mark (95). So who starts at quarterback next Sunday at Las Vegas?

Bill Belichick’s team was looking to avoid a second loss to the Dolphins this season. The Patriots came into the game with a 2-5 record, but both wins within the division. New England fell at home to Miami, 24-17, back in Week 2. Once again, the Pats were limited to 17 points and had no solutions for the Dolphins’ passing attack.

Who would have thought that eight weeks into this season, the Patriots would not only be four games under .500 but would be the only team in the AFC East without a winning record? It has already been a forgettable year.